Selecting-bar for adding or like machines.



B P. HAYES .SELECTING BAR' FOR'ADDING OR LIKE MACHINES. APPLICATION FILED APR. 15,1915.

1 ,27 1 ,466. Patented July 2, 1918.

2 SHEETSSHEET l.

igl.

B. P. HAYES.

SELECTING BAR FOR ADDING OR LIKE MACHINES.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 15.1915. 1 ,27 1,466. I Patented July 2,1918.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

5. I? Hayes:

A'rromwsy UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

BENJAMIN P. HAYES, OF SAS CITY, MISSOURI, ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, TO AUTOMATIC BOOKKEEPING REGISTER COMPANY, OF KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI, A

., CORPORATION OF DELAWARE.

SELECTING-BAR FOR ADDING OR LIKE MACHINES.

Specification of Ietters Patent.

Patented July 2, 1918.

Application filed April 15, 1915. Serial No. 21,547.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, BENJAMIN P. HAYES,

a citizen of the United States, residing at Kansas City, in the county of Jackson and State of Missouri, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Selecting-Bars for Adding or like Machines; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters and figures of refer ence marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

My invention relates to a selecting bar for adding or like machines, and has for its. principal object to provide key -controlled means for determining the advance of type carrying and registering mechanism to present a selected character on the type member in functional position and provide adesired advance of the registering mechanism.

It is also an object of the invention to provide a selecting bar of this character whereby the progressive incrementnecessary for securing variable advance of the'type and registering mechanism is produced by a slmple mechanical construction of the bar proper.

It is a further object of the invention to,

provide a lock for the bar, and the keys that control the bar, which will efiectually retain the keys in proper position for governing the bar, and which may be actuated by any of the keys in a bank to release a previously locked key in the same bank, and

thereby provide for correcting an error in any particular bank without affecting the keys in other banks. i

In accomplishing these and other objects of the invention I have provided improved details of structure, the preferred forms of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawing which, as the invention relates particularly to an individual selecting bar and the parts immediately connected therewith, are limited to such construction and do notillustrate a complete machine of any partic-- ular type, in view of the fact that the bar and its connecting parts may be used with any suitable adding or like machine, and

may be duplicated in order to provide as many banks of characters as may be required.

Figure I is a longitudinal vertical section of a machinecontaining my improvements.

Fig. II is a perspective view of one of the housing plates and key banks.

Fig. III is a vertical cross section of the same.

Fig. IV is a perspective view of a portion of the key housing showing the position of a key and the selecting bar before the key has been depressed.

Fig. V is a similar view showing the key depressed and the bar released.

Referring more in detail to the drawingsz- 1 designates the case of an adding or like machine, comprising a top 2, having slots 3 arranged in alinement for a. bank of character keys; the present drawings illustrating the arrangement for a single bank of keys, although a number of banks will, of course, be used in any machine in which my improvements are included.

Fixed within the case 1, beneath the top 2, and slightly to one side of the row of slots 3, is an inclined housing plate 5, having an upper flange 6 located directly beneath the top 2 and projected laterally beneath the key slots and having a lower flange 7 extending parallel with the upper flange 6 and spaced therefrom by the width of the plate; both the upper and lower fianges having slots 910 in alinement with the cover slots 3.

Located within the housing between the flanges 67 is a selecting bar 12 whichis preferably supported by necks 13 that may be struck from the body of the bar and are slidably mounted in horizontal slots 14 in the back of the housing, so that the bar may slide longitudinally in guided relation to the housing, the slots 14 being parallel with the base of the machine andthe bar being retained in proper alinement by the cars 15 at the outer ends of the necks 13, which are adapted for initial projection through slots 16 at the rear ends of the slots it that are adapted for initially admitting the said ears, so that when the bar is projected forwardly the ends of the ears will lie along the outer edges of the slots 14: to hold the bar to thehousing and permit free sliding movement thereof. A spring 18 is connected with one of the ears 15 and with a hook 19 on the housing so as to yieldingly urge the bar forwardly to engagement with one of the key stops presentl described, when the bar is 'released'to ena le it to move to a functional position.

The rear end of the bar has a head 21, and pivotally connected with said head is a rack bar 22, the teeth 23 of which mesh with the peripheral rack teeth 24 on a segment 25 that is mounted on a shaft 26 which is journaled in the sides of the case 1, so that when the selectingbar is moved longitudinally the rack bar will rotate the segment on'the shaft 26 and also rotatea gear segment 27 that is operatively connected with a type bar 28 through a link 29. A registering wheel 30 is mounted on a shaft 31 that is normally held out of engagement with the segment 27 so that the segment teeth are normally out of mesh with the teeth on wheel 30,

' mechanism (not shown) being provided for dropping the shaft 31- into position for throwing the teeth into mesh whenthe selecting bar'has reached itspredetermined limit. The registering wheel is, held against rotation when in inoperative or initial position by a latch tooth 34 that engages the teeth on said registering wheel,. and the bar is normally retained at the rearward limit of its travel against the tension of the spring 18 by an arm35 which engages alug 36 on the head 21; the said arm being fixed on a shaft 37, having an arm 39 rigidly mounted thereon and connected with a spring 40 whereby the shaft is yieldingly held in a position that forces the arm '35 against the lug 36 to maintain the rearward positiongf the bar.

The bar 12 and housing 5 are arranged in an inclinedposition and the outer edge of the bar is stepped to provide forwardly facing stops 42; the stops being of equal length so that the stops arespaced equally throughout the length of the bar and the inclined ar range nent of the bar. locating the stops at different elevations; so that each stop may be engaged by its proper key when the bar is moved horizontally or at right angles to the key posts, thereby obviating interference with the bar by any of the'othe'r keys; it being apparent that by arrangingthe bar at an incline the latter may be formed from a rectangular piece of metal, having the stops in one longitudinal edge, and that theincline is determined by the the stops.

Each of the keys 44 in the bank is mounted on a post &5, preferably consisting of a flat piece of stiff sheet metal, the upper end of which is slidably mounted in a cover slot 3 and a slot 9 in the upper housing flange 6,

number and depth of while its lower end similarlymounted in a slot 10. in the lower housing flange 7, so

that it may have free vertical sliding travel within the housing; the body of the post being spaced from the housing to permit the selecting bar 12 to slide between the post and the bar at a point which will leave the type bar and registering wheel, that are actuated by the bar, in such position that characters thereon corresponding to the character on the key, will be in functional position. As

but one key member in the bank must be in functional position for any operation of the machine, all of the keys are normally retained out of functional position by springs 49, each having one end connected. with a hook 50' on its respective key post and the other with a hook-51 on the under side of the upper housing flange 6, sothat when the key members are depressed they are moved against the tension of such springs, and when released lift automatically untilgstopped in normal position by engagement of a lip 52 on the'post with the under side (if the top housing flange 6. V

In order to retain the key members in functional position against the tension of their springs, I provide a locking device that is common to all of the key members and comprises a curved wing 53, having one edge pivotally mounted on arod 54 that'is journaled at its ends in bearings 55 on the adjacent housing, and a free edge 57 thatprojects beneath the lower housing flange 7 the said wing being yieldingly urged beneath the housing flange by a spring 59 which is connected with the free edge of the wing and with a hook 60 on the housing, so that the edge of the wing projects beneath the ends of the key posts and must be engaged therewhen the posts are lowered; the lower end .of each of the posts beingprovided with a hook 62 which is adapted for locking engagement with the free edge of the wing to hold the post depressed when the shoulderhas moved the wing out of its path against the tension of the spring 59, and has engaged the end of the'wing; movement of'the wing, under tension of its spring, being limited by the adjacent edge of the key post when the latter is in locked relation thereto.

In order to insure movement of the wing by the key post prior to positioning of thepost hook 62, I bevelthe edge of the projec- 'on from the lower end of the post and from the edge of the hook to a point 63, so that the hook shelf is above the end of the post and inset from the point 63 so that the wing is sure to be rocked before the hook can become effective.

It will be noted that the drawings illustrate a bank of nine individual keys. These keys are numbered consecutively from one to nine, no individualkey being provided for the cipher which must, of course, be present in the series in order to adapt the machine per edge of the wing 53, which is adapted.

for movement throu h a slot 65 in the bottom housing flange and has its end promovement of the bar prior to engagement y the second stop will be three-eighths of with the stop;'it being apparent that as the selecting bar is held to the rearward limit of its travel by the arm on shaft 37, when the bar is released its spring will induce forward movement thereof until such movement is interrupted by engagement of the bar with the stop 64; this play or movement being sufiicient to set the bar for actuating the type bar until the cipher thereon is in functional position. I

' It is further apparent that if no keys are depressed and held in place for stopping the selecting bar, the bar will have the initial cipher movement, but if any of the keys have been depressed the stop 6% will have been lowered out of the slot in the selecting bar, so that movement of the latter is not interrupted by the stop, and the bar will continue to travel until it engages the stop 47 on the post of the depressed key member. It is apparent that in order that the bar may move to the determined position for locating a particular character on the type bar and registering wheel in functional positions, there must be an increment movement of the bar relative to the type member posts. This increment is provided for by spacing the posts an "equal distance apart and constructing the stops on the selectin bar of the same length, but of a lengtl i slightly in excess of the spacing between the individual posts. With this arrangement, supposing the posts to be spaced seveneighths of an inch apart, and the stops to be one inch in length, it is apparent that if the first stop on the actuating bar is normally a quarter of an inch back of the first post inch back of the second post, and that like progression is present throughout the length of the bar. When the type bar and re istering wheel are so arranged that one-eighth of an inch of movement will throw the bar and wheel from one position to the next, it is apparent that the increment in the selecting bar is sufiicient to properly space the bar and wheel for a character represented by a like character on a relative key member; the inclined stepped arrangement of the bar and key post stops providing that should it be necessary for one of the rear bar stops to pass beneath an inactive key post-stop to reach its active post stop, the inactive key stop, beneath which the active bar must travel, will not interfere with such travel.

In order to impart a better understanding of my improvement, I will describe the operation o a machine equipped therewith, in so far as such relation relates to the improvements.

The type bar for each bank of keys is nor mally held in such position that a blank space is presented to the printing position, and, as is also usual with such machines, all of the parts are held in initial position after the stop keys have been depressed until the shaft 3( is rocked toward the front of the machine in order to move the arm 35 against the tension of the spring 40, so that the lug 36 on each of the actuating parts may follow the arm and enable the individual bar springs .to draw the bar forwardly and thereby move the type bar to position for printing a desired character.

First presuming that the character to be printed from the member controlled by the particular selecting bar, illustrated in Fig. I, is a cipher, it is unnecessary to depress any of the keys in this particular bank for the reason that when keys in the other banks have been depressed, and the crank 38 is rocked to rock the shaft 37, this particular selectin bar is free to move under the tension of its spring and so moves to a distance equal to the free space between the stop 64 on. the wing 53 and the back edge of the slot 66 in the selecting bar; this movement being sufiicient to turnthe type bar to position for printing the cipher.

It is apparent that with this construction it is only necessary to strike keys in the proper banks for indicating numerals from one to nine inclusive, and that the type bars .in other banks will" move automatically to the cipher position, thereby limiting the operation to the actuation of keys for what may be termed active characters. Presuming, however, that it is desired to throw the type bar to position for printing an active numeral and the registering wheel to position for ac clnnulating that numberfor instance the numeral 1-then the key in the bank (usually the end key as it is best to number the keys consecutively) is depressed. This depression of the key forces ti e post downwardly against the tension of its spring so that the post slides in its housing slots, and the lower l beveled end of the post, impinging against the curved wing 53,.rocks the wing on its pivot and accomplishes two purposes:

First, it moves the stop 64 out of the slot 66 in the selecting bar sp that there may be no interference of the movement of the bar by the stop, and

Second, it allows the hooked end of the post to pass beneath the free edge of the wing, so that when the post is released and is drawn upwardly by its spring, the hook will engage. the free edge of the wing and be .held in its lower position. When the post is in its lowered position the stop boss 47 on the edge of the post is in a position for engagement by its particular stop on the selecting bar, so that when the shaft 37 is rocked the selecting bar is moved forwardly by its spring tension until said stop engages the key post boss, when the travel of the selecting bar is interrupted and the bar held to position by its individual spring, this movement of the bar serving to move the type bar to bring the character thereon corresponding with the character represented by the de-] pressed key to printing position.

When the shaft 37 is rocked to the limit of' its movement and the selecting bar is moved to its determined limit, as described, the printing of the character on the type bar is accomplished in the usual manner, and, when the shaft-is released, its spring 40 rocks the shaft back to its normal position; the arms 35 engaging the lugs 36 on the selecting bars, and, being stronger than the combined strength of all of the individual selecting bar springs, moves said bars back to normal or initialposition, so that a new set of characters may be set up on the machine.

Rearward movement of the selecting bar causes the registering wheel to drop into engagement with the segment 27 so that it is turned sufficiently to register or accumulate the number indicated by the depressed key, the mechanism for actuating the wheel not being illustrated, as it may be of any suitable form and does not comprise a part of my invention.

While I have not illustrated such mechanism, it is apparent that means may be provided for releasing the key posts as the selecting bars return to such position. .Should the operator depress the wrong post in the bank it is not, however, necessary to actuate the crank and shaft 37 in order to correct the error, as the key post so depressed and locked by the wing 53 may be released by tarmac been made the proper key in that bank may be depressed to secure the proper positioning of the type bar and registering wheel.

lhe setting of the type bar and registering disks for any of the other numerals in the bank is identical with that previously described for the numeral 1; the only difference being that because of the increment in the selecting bar, the bar will move for wardly a progressively greater distance for each successively higher numeral in the bank, and thereby throw the-type bar and registering wheel around a greater distance for each successively higher numeral to properly position the bar and wheel for the numeral desired.

It-will be noted that when the last keys in the bank-are depressed it is necessary for a stop for an inactive preceding key to pass beneath the stop on the. depressed active key, Owing to the inclined arrangement of the keys and. selecting bar, however, the active stop is not lowered to a position which will interfere with the movement of the selecting bar therebeneath, so that the inactive stop passes beneath the stop on .the'depressed key toenable the bar to travel until the proper bar stop engages thedepressed key stop.

Having thus described my invention, what I clalm as new therein, and deslre to secure said bar, a stop for holding the bar against the tension of said yielding. means, key posts movable into stopping relation with the bar when the bar is advanced by said yielding means, and a 'pivotally mounted wing extendingacross the-path of the key posts and having a locking member for retaining the posts in active position.

3. In combination with a selecting bar having stop members thereon, means for actuating said bar, key posts movable into stoppln relation with the members on said bar, yie ding means for retaining the key posts in initial position, a wing mounted for longltudlnal, pivotal movement and having a free edge prO ected across the path of the key posts, yielding means for,retaining the wing 1n initial position and against the tension ofwhich the wing is rocked when any one of the key posts is moved in active position, and means on each of the key posts for lockin j'wing in initial sion of which en agement with the wing when the latter 1s displaced by projection of said post.

4. In combination with a selectin bar. having stop members thereon, means or actuating said bar, key posts movable into stopping relation with the members on said bar, yielding means for retaining the key posts in initial longitudinal pivotal movement and havinga free edge projected across the path of the key posts, yielding means for retaining the posltion and against the tenthe wing is rocked when any one of the key posts is moved to active position, means on each of the key posts for locking engagement with the win when the latter is displaced by projection o said post, and means on said wing for engaging the bar to limitmovement.v of the same when none of the key posts is actuated.

5. In combination with a selecting bar, a pivotally mounted win having a free edge projected toward the Irar, yielding means for retaining the free edge 1n its projected position, key posts adapted for movement into. stopping relation with the bar and having hooked ends arranged to displace the free edge of said wing and for locking engagement therewith to retain the posts in bar stopping position, yielding means for returning the posts to initial position, and

-means for moving-the bar to stopping engagement with a set key 0st.

6. In combination wit a selecting bar having a primary stop slot, yieldin means for actuating the bar, means for hol ing the bar against the. tension of said yielding j the free edge in lockin means, a wing havinga stop member of less width than the slot in said actuating bar and havin a free edge, yielding means for retaining t e wing stop in the bar slot and position, key posts having stop members a apted for movement into position for engaging the bar and for engaging the wing to rock the latter, yielding means for retainin the posts in normal position, and latch hoo s on said posts having beveled under faces for moving the wing to displace the stop member and locate the post hook in looking relation with the free edge of the'wing.

7 In combination with a supporting member, having longitudinalslots and cross slots at the end of the longitudinal slots, a selecttravel in the ing bar having necks adapted for sliding ongitudinal slots, the said through the position, a wing mounted for post to initial position,

necks having heads adapted for projection cross slots and for keepin the necks Within the longitudinal slots, yie' din means for actuating the bar, a stop for hol ing the bar against the action of said yielding means, and selective stop members for limiting travel of the bar to relative movements.

8. In combination with aselecting bar, a plurality of key posts adapted for selective actuation to selecting bar, yieldable means for urging each post to initial position, a movable latching member yieldin ly urged to position for engagement by the ey posts, each key post having a shelf for holding engagement with the latch member and having a primary latch engaging portion projected beyond and leading to the shelf, whereby the latch member is moved from the shelf of a previously held post prior to the positioning of. the latch member on the shelf of the actuating 0st. p 9. In combination with a selecting bar, a plurality of key posts adapted for selective actuation to position for engagement by the selecting bar, yielding means for urging each a movable latching member yieldingly urged to position for engagement by the key posts, each key post having a shelf for holding engagement with the latch member, and having a protuberance at one edge inclined from an intermediateinterval section toward the shelf and toward the point of initial contact with the latch member, whereby the latch member is moved from the shelf to the upper inclined edge part of a previously held key post, before said member has left its contact with the lower inclined part of an actuating post.

10. The combination with a of a plurality of key posts adapted for actuation to-position for engagement by the selecting bar and each having a pro ecting edge portion at its lower end, with the lower portion of the projection inclined and the upper part comprising a latch shelf of less length than the greater width of the projection and located thereabove, and the part of the projection between the shelf and the point of greatest width being inclined from the shelf to such point, and a latch member yieldingly urged towardthe parts, for the purpose set forth.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature.

BENJAMINIP. HAYES.

position for engagement by the selecting bar, 

